Cobie Smulders to star in Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Marvel Studios brings their patriotic hero to the big screen with this 2011 action adventure film based on the comics character of the same name. Set during WWII, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) has been deemed physically unfit for military service. As a result, he volunteers for a secret operation called Project: Rebirth and is transformed into a super-soldier dubbed Captain America.

Cobie Smulders is to reprise her role of Maria Hill in 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier'.

The 30-year-old actress plays the agent in this year's 'Avengers Assemble' and while there has been no mention of her starring in the sequel to 2011's 'Captain America: The First Avenger', the brunette beauty looks set to join Frank Grillo in the motion picture, Variety reports.

The 47-year-old actor is to portray Brock Rumlow/Crossbones - the leader of a criminal gang in New York's lower East Side - in the forthcoming Marvel action movie.

Cobie has previously revealed she has signed up to appear in eight Marvel films, of which 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' will be her second, while Frank will make his debut in the franchise.

The 'Captain America' sequel - which will see Chris Evans reprise his role as the titular character - is expected to focus on defence organisation S.H.I.E.L.D., which featured heavily in 'Avengers Assemble'.

Cobie's alter-ego Maria is a member of the espionage agency, which was led by Samuel L. Jackson's character Nick Fury, but there is no news about whether the 63-year-old star will make an appearance in 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier'.

Anthony Russo and Joe Russo are directing the action movie, which is slated for an April 2014 release, and Scarlett Johansson is expected to reprise her role as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow.

What's more, Jessica Brown Findlay is the frontrunner to star as Captain America's next love interest and follow in the footsteps of brunette beauty Hayley Atwell, who starred as Peggy Carter in 'Captain America: The First Avenger'.